Black Students, Urban Schools, and Black Principals: Leadership Practices That Reduce Disenfranchisement

• In Event: Leadership, Administration, and Leaders in Urban Schools

Abstract

The fundamental issue addressed in this presentation is the disenfranchisement of black students. The authors argue that (1) the disenfranchisement of black students leads to their underachievement and that (1) black principal leadership may aid in reducing this disenfranchisement and the subsequent underachievement.
The authors discuss the importance of Black principals for Black students. Researchers indicate that Black students experience increased disfranchisement and academic success with Black teachers. Similarly—and more recently—research has indicated that there is a benefit accrued to Black students with a Black principal (Kelley, 2012; Williams, 2012). In part, because of a shared culture and common experiences, Black principals serve effectively as role models for Black students (Reitzug & Patterson, 1998; Tillman, 2004).
The authors examine disenfranchisement and its sources. On a societal level, race and racism still pervade U.S. society—and U.S. schools. Racism in U.S. society plays a key role in the disenfranchisement of Black students (Petitt, 2012). Public policy and the availability of social services are significant sources of the disenfranchisement of Black students. A myriad of challenges emanate from within schools that contribute to Black student disenfranchisement (Hanushek & Rivin, 2006).
The authors contend that Black students underperform because of their historic disenfranchisement—which brings about their underachievement. This disenfranchisement can be addressed through the provision of a culturally responsive educational experience that can be facilitated in part by Black principals who exhibit the ethno-humanist role identity (Lomotey, 1993).
The authors introduce the literature review and address four questions.
1. What is known about the differences in the leadership of
Black male principals and Black female principals?
2. What is known about the differences in the leadership of
Black elementary, middle, and high school principals?
3. What is known about the leadership of “successful” Black
principals?
4. What is known about the extent to which Black principals
exhibit the ethno-humanist role identity?
Finally, they offer an analysis of the research and discuss the implications of their review.

References

Hanushek, E. A., & Rivkin, S. G. (2006). School quality and the black-white achievement gap. Working Paper No. 12651. Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research.

Kelley, G. J. (2012). How do principals’ behaviors facilitate or inhibit the development of a culturally relevant learning community? (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN.

Lomotey, K. (1993). African American principals: Bureaucrat/administrators and ethno-humanists. Urban Education, 27(4), 395–412.

Petitt, J. (2012, February 12). Achievement gap: It’s still about race; In American society, we can’t avoid the fact that socioeconomic disparities are racial disparities. The Baltimore Sun. n.p.

Reitzug, U. C., & Patterson, J. (1998). “I’m not going to lose you!” Empowerment through caring in an urban principal’s practice with students. Urban Education, 33(2), 150–181.

Tillman, L. (2004). African American principals and the legacy of Brown. Review of Research in Education, 28(1), 101–146.

Williams, I. (2012). Race and the principal pipeline: The prevalence of minority principals in light of a largely white teacher workforce. Unpublished manuscript.

Authors

• Kofi Lomotey, Western Carolina University

• Kendra Parks Lowery, Madison Metropolitan School District